The Mentor's Games
by Lya200
Summary: We have seen it all. Katniss's POV, Peeta's POV, Foxface's POV, Rue's POV, you name it, but what are we missing? Of course, the only reason why Katniss and Peeta made it out of the arena, the one who never showed us his thoughts, the one who has done it before. Haymitch Abernathy. Rated T because he is Haymitch.


The Mentor's Games

_***stares at list of stories that have not been updated recently* Hmm, what should I do now? Oh, I know. I should start yet another story. Okay, that is not how this idea came to be. I came up with it while in the car on my way home from school. I don't know about you, but I have never seen a Haymitch story about him mentoring others. Thus, this story came to life. Hopefully it will be good. Obviously, I don't own the Hunger Games. If I did, then certain people would not have died *cough SPOILER ALERT FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT READ MOCKINGJAY Prim cough*. Remember to review if you like the story. **_

Let's Go On An Adventure.

* * *

><p>Chapter 1: More Than You<p>

Haymitch's POV

To all of Panem, I was a drunken lunatic. Can't say that I disagree, though. I grabbed a bottle off of my shelf and staggered into the streets of District 12. It was that time of year again.

It's not my fault that we have not had a victor since me. It was the fault of all those kids who failed to listen to my advice. The district, though, decided to place the blame on me for the deaths of those 46 kids. Lucky me.

I didn't ask for this life. To be honest, I did those kids a favor. No one should go through the horrors of the Games like I did.

Maybe I am just saying that to excuse my lack of help towards those teenagers. I have half-heartedly tried to train each and every kid for the Hunger Games, but I always get sidetracked and end up drinking. Hurray for me.

This year will probably be no different. Just another pair of scared misfits like all the other years. I don't think 12 has ever produced above average tributes since, well, my year.

I wasn't the only decent tribute. There was my ally for up until I can't even remember, but we ended up getting pretty far. Maysilee and I made it to maybe the final ten or something before we split up. Then she was pecked to death by flamingos.

The roads were void of life since almost everyone else was already at the reaping. As I used to say, there was nothing better than arriving in style. I won't get in trouble for being late since the Capitol knows that killing me can lead to a potential rebellion. Sucks for them.

I took a moment to take a large gulp from my bottle. Now I can drown out my emotions. By the time I was there, I had downed my entire bottle.

I did not drink too much at my house; I only had about three bottles. Okay, I will admit that it is _slightly_ too much alcohol.

The mayor was already finished with his speech, so I slinked into the empty chair that was next to an annoying woman named Effie Trinket.

The pink-haired freak slapped me. "Where have you been? We are five minutes behind schedule!"

I brushed off her annoyance with a shrug. "I don't care about what you think, Trinket. So what if I'm five minutes or five hours late?"

She looks at me aghast. "It means _everything_! Now we are behind schedule."

I look into her eyes like a parent whose kid is failing to understand a simple concept. "Let me spell it out for you. I. Do not. Care."

Before she could retort, Mayor Undersee tapped the mike for Effie to start. Flustered, she spent the whole time getting to the stage murmuring insults under her breath. In response, I just smirked.

She starts her speech that was probably rehearsed fifty-seven times about how honored she was to be here. When she got no response, Effie pressed play on the Capitol propaganda film about how the Hunger Games were created.

It was mandatory to watch, but like every year, I ignore it. Who cares about what happened seventy-four years ago? Effie was mouthing the words to the video like always, and it was driving me insane.

Finally, the five minutes of torture was over, and her pink fingernails clipped on a thin strip of paper containing the name of some poor goner. "Primrose Everdeen."

I felt a rush of sympathy spread through the crowd as a twelve year old blonde girl slowly made her way to the stage. If it wasn't for the fact that she looked way underfed, I would have said that she was from an upper-class family like merchants.

Then I heard the words that I thought that I would never hear. "PRIM! PRIM! I VOLUNTEER! I VOLUNTEER AS TRIBUTE!"

An older girl with dark hair had pushed away the little kid behind her and climbed onto the stage. A boy from the eighteen year old section picked up the kicking and screaming child with ease. I look on pitifully.

I caught the voluteer's name being Katniss Everdeen. Apparently she was the twelve year old girl's sister which amazed me. I have never seen such sibling devotion before. I like it.

Apparently the rest of the district liked it too because instead of clapping, they stand still in silence. Then one by one, they each reach up their left hand with the three middle fingers to the mouth and raised it up into the air. I'm taking that as a signal.

"Look at her. Look at this one!" I awkwardly throw an arm around her. She looks away repulsively. "I like her. She has lots of…" I struggled to find the word. "Spunk."

The next words I say were something I never dared to say before at all during my thirty nine or so years of life. I release her and point my middle finger into the camera. "More than you! More than you!" Then I fell off the stage.

* * *

><p>I don't know how much time had passed, but I found myself being aroused by a pair of peacekeepers. A stretcher was placed casually underneath me. Huh. I must have gone unconscious. One of them tries to help me up, but I refuse. "I can get up myself thank you very much." His eyes widen, but he has the decency to not disagree.<p>

Katniss seemed fine as she was escorted from the Justice Building, but I cannot say the same for the boy. The blonde boy was surely a merchant's kid, but it was evident that he was crying. The kid was not even making a move to hide his emotions. I am 90% sure that he will not make it past the bloodbath.

I ended up in the car with the boy. Any doubts about if the tears were false were gone. "Look kid. You have to buckle up and keep in those emotions. You can't just expect that life will go your way."

He wiped his eyes sadly. "I don't care about the fact that I was reaped. What bothers me the fact that no one but my dad will care that I am gone." I feel my eyes widen, but I don't say anything else.

We do a pretty good job avoiding the reporters as we were ushered onto the train. Actually, that is a lie. I felt so many hands tug at my sleeves and heard so many voices calling out to the volunteer. My head still hurt from the fall, but it was nothing compared to the Capitolites that were doing their best to pester me.

I coldly ignored them. Since I do this every year, I know what I am doing. I hope.

* * *

><p><strong><em>As you might notice, I had to take some things from the book just to stick to the story. Hopefully as we get into the arena I can have a little fun. *laughs evilly* Trust me, I have a plan for what is to come. All that I will say is that we will explore certain character's emotions and see things that Katniss never saw. Bear with me as I say this. I have intentions to make this an awesome story. I promise. <em>**

**_~Lya200~_**


End file.
